This invention relates to customization of data into a representation suitable for presentation in different formats, including aural and limited visual formats. This invention relates specifically to selection of data in a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) so that it is suited for rendering in another form such as an audio format or a visual format other than the source format.
A great deal of valuable information is now available in HTML format. However, HTML is primarily designed for access in a specific visual context, namely by means of a graphical user interface of the type designed for use with web browsers. There is a need to make HTML data accessible via other interfaces and readers. The invention herein described is intended to address an important aspect of that need.
According to the invention, in a computer network system, a method is provided for converting two-dimensional data, particularly information in HTML format, into a canonical representation for rendering in aural or other visual forms wherein each element of interest is selected based on it being part of a mathematically regular expression, namely any expression that can be parsed in a tree. To perform the selection, the container of the element is located, and then the local route of the element within the parsed tree is followed, such that a signature of the element built upon this identification can be constructed and stored for later use in retrieving and rendering the value of the element of interest. As a further refinement of the invention, the method searches for repeated elements and then stores only one of the selected repeated elements, such as the first repeated element.
It is an important recognition of the present invention that HTML pages can be represented by regular expressions. It is also an important recognition of the invention that only elements need to be selected, and that the actual values of the elements need not be selected, thus permitting the values to be dynamically updated and rendered with the current value.
The invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.